National and local networks come together to host a solution-based approach to creating a sustainable future in Kilkenny

Over one hundred people gathered in Kilkenny together with politicians, experts and civil society groups last weekend to come up with creative and practical climate actions.

The event ‘Creating a Local Sustainable Future - Practical Actions for your Community’ was organised by the Public Participation Networks of counties Kilkenny, Carlow, Wexford, Tipperary and Waterford and the Irish Environmental Network. It took place at the Ormonde Hotel on Saturday.

Farmers, environmentalists, Tidy Towns representatives, councillors, and people involved in a wide range of community projects and initiatives gathered to discuss the challenges facing us today, and to come up with actions that can be implemented in their communities.

Senator Grace O'Sullivan delivered the keynote address that comes in response to growing demand for local solutions to the impending threat of climate change.

During the day there were four breakout sessions, each focusing on an important issue that we face today, including biodiversity loss, with wildlife populations down 60% in the last 40 years. 

Pádraic Fogarty, leading Irish ecologist and vocal spokesperson for reversing biodiversity loss, led a workshop to explore solutions to this crisis.

There was also an interactive workshop to explore the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as the practical side of applying them to the work of community groups. Davie Phillip, who for the last 20 years has helped to create sustainable communities and locally led initiatives, led this community orientated workshop. 

Individuals around Ireland are becoming more vocal about the need for climate action. Ray McGrath, who has been working within communities in Waterford to bring climate actions to a wider audience, led an action focused workshop that explored how to expand the conversation to all community groups, and identify a range of environmental actions that they can take. 

With floods and droughts increasingly impacting rural farming communities and set to become more severe over the next few years, it is important that we work now to protect our water sources.

For this reason, the final workshop explored initiatives that are being taken to protect water quality and look at what can be done within communities to help nurture healthy rivers and lakes. Fran Igoe, the southern regional coordinator for the Local Authority Waters Programme, led this workshop. Mr Igoe has worked on large scale locally led conservation projects, which were explored during the workshop.

Many challenges were brought up during the day, from a lack of awareness of damaging everyday actions, to the inadequate practices in place in our government and local councils.

Solutions were also discussed, such as education at all stages of life, and making nature accessible to all. The importance of local action and of conversation came up throughout the day, with an emphasis on including everybody in the conversation, and discussing mutually beneficial solutions to ensure that nobody is left behind.

The event closed with a Q&A panel including all hosts and speakers, and time over lunch to browse the information stands from local and regional environmental groups. 

The actions and solutions that were discussed at this event will be collated and distributed to all participants and made available to the public through the participating PPNs and the IEN.

Senator Grace O'Sullivan said: “The importance of ‘Think Global, Act Local’ has never been more evident than at the moment. The evidence for strong government and international action goes hand-in-hand with the need to include communities.

“We need to give citizens a feeling of agency and improve support for and awareness of environmental initiatives designed to tackle the ecological crisis we face.”

“Use the wisdom of your life, and be the wave of change.”

Pádraic Fogarty of the Irish Wildlife Trust said: "The extinction crisis is happening in parallel with the climate crisis and it is important the communities can appreciate how this is affecting the places in which they live and work.

“Addressing both crises in tandem can bring enormous opportunities for local people when the right initiatives are put in place."

Davie Phillip, of Cultivate said:

“More than ever we need connection.

We can’t go on as we are - our communities are fragmented, suffering from inequality, isolation and loneliness and now facing an ecological crises and the existential threat of climate breakdown. We are already vulnerable and these converging challenges will make our regions more fragile. We need to strengthen the resilience of our local places.

“More than ever we need cohesive regional action towards our communities wellbeing - the health of citizens and the local environment - and resilience - our ability to respond to the challenges faced.

“Practical actions in our local communities are needed, there are many responses we can take. It is clear that we must restructure our economy and society so that we can transition to an equitable, sustainable and low carbon future and whose accomplishments are measured beyond that of economic growth.

“There are many challenges that we face locally and globally as we look to adapt to a low carbon, sustainable society but this transition provides opportunities to reshape our communities, bring vitality and livelihoods to our local areas and make ourselves resilient - enabling us to surf the waves of change.”

Catherine O’Toole, of the Irish Environmental Network said: “The people present today showed an understanding of our precarious position that far surpasses any insight coming from a government level.

“While there are some councilors and TDs who understand the effects that the changing climate will have on our communities and country, this does not translate into government action.

“It’s a David and Goliath situation. Communities are doing what they can, but find themselves fighting against outdated policies, climate action plans that are never put in place, and state-owned and state-hired companies that are using practices that have been proven to do nothing but make things worse.

“There is little to no help available for communities, and now they are realising that the only way to create change is to work together and do it themselves.

“I hope to see more of these meetings throughout the year, and help people connect through their Local Environmental Networks, keeping the conversation flowing and sharing our knowledge to make strengthening our actions easier for everyone.”